Railroad-spike.



H. A. SOMMERMEYER.

RAILROAD SPIKE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 2a, 191'3.

Patented Jan. 13, 1914.

'UNTTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.'-

HENRY A. SOMMER-MEYER, F ELMORE, MINNESOTA, ASSIGNO OF ONE-HALF '1.0

GEORGE W. OWENS', OF ELMORE, MINNESOTA.

RAILROAD-SPIKE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented J an. 13, 1914.

i Application filed August`23, 1913. Serial No. 786,310.

Toull whom z't may concern.'

Be it known that '11', HENRY A. SoMMijiR- MEYER, a citizen .ofjthe United States, residing at Elmorel,=,"i'1i the county of Faribault and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railroad-Spikes; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, suoli as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to spikes and more particularly to the type employed in locking railroad rails to the ties and has for its objeY t0 rovide a device of this character which is of simple and inexpensive constriis'ion and which will more surelyA and eiciently perform the functions for which it is designed, than those heretofore proposed.

To these ends my invention consists in the novel details of construction more fully here inafter described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawing forming part vof this specification and in which like numerals designate like parts in all the views; Figure 1 is a perspective View of a .spike made in accordance with my invention, and Fig. 2 is a sectional viewof a rail and tie showing the manner in which my improved spike is employed.

1 designates the body of my improved spike which is in the form oa wedge having the perpendicular face 2 and the slanting face 3 extending throughout the length of the body 1. These two faces'meet to `form the edge 4 adapted to facilitate the starting of the spike into the tie. The upper portion of the spi into a head 5 having on its rear face a hp 6 which lip is adapted to be engaged by a claw or other tool in case -Ait is desired to re-A move the spike. The forward .portion of the head is formed into the holding mem ber .7 for engagin the base fiange 8 of Athe rail 9 and in adition thereto is r.provided `\a recess 10 into which the edge 'of saidbase flange 8 is adapted to fit when the spike has been drivenhome in the tie 11.. Ashoulder 12 is 4formed behind the head 5 and is adaptke is formedi ed to receive the blunt nose of a tool when driving the spike.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that when the spike is driven into the tie, the slanting face 3 extending the entire length of the body 1, will compress the wood as indicated at 13, throughout its length, but to a greater degree opposite the recess 10 than anywhere else. It therefore follows that this compression will serve to force the spike over against the rail flange immediately the edge -4 enters the wood, and as the spike is driven home,'this forcing action is increased, until the recess 10 comes opposite the flange 8, when the edge of said flange will snap into said recess and the spike be held firmly in position by means of the compressed portion 13.

A sharp distinction is to be drawn between my spike and those which provide for a wedge member extending over a portion of tlie length of the body, for the latter spikes do not force the body toward the flange 8 i until the wedge portion is buried in Ythe Wood, and therefore their operation is uncertain. Further, the compressed portion of the wood, in such cases,does not extend throughout the body portion of the spike, 1

and the firm, compressed, resilient backing rovided by my spike, is absent.

iat I claim is 1. A spike comprising a body ortion and la head portion with a rail base ocking recess between said portions; said body porl tion being wedge` shaped throughout itslength, and having its upper end for engagement with a tool in driving the spike; said head portion besho der to facilitate the withdrawal ofthe spike and on its o posige side with 'a rail base engaging mem er o .erhapnging and eX- tending beyond' said rail base locking recess, substantially as described. ,.1

2. A spike comprising a liody portion-and a head portion with a rail ba'e locking recess between said portions; saik `ing""wed.ge shaped throug dut its length, and having an extended` shoulder onits upper end for engagement with 'a tool. in driving the spike; said head portion being ing provided with a lip extending over said extended shoulder` on Y ...ai porti-O11 be said shoulder to facilitate the Withdrawal provided With a lip partially extending over In testimony whereof I aiX my signature,

in presence o`f two Witnesses.

HENRY A, SOMMERMEYER.

Vitnes'ses:

GEO. W."OWENs, HERMAN NELSON.

of the spike and on its opposite side with a rail base engaging rnembe'i` tapered on its upper and lower surfaces overhanging and extending beyond said railbase locking recess, substantially as described.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents Washington, D. C. 

